The stabbing at the lake was the most memorable scene

And I thought I might be the only one who thought that way.
I was in my early twenties when I watched that movie with friends, not expecting too much. Then that scene.
It seriously traumatized me to some degree, after all I can still hear the women scream when I think of that scene.

It was so effective because it was very realistic, that's how it looks and sounds.
Terrifying, blood freezing.

As crazy as it may sound -> it is the 'best' stabbing scene of all time, I think.

Yes amazing scene. Also the basement scene, and the woman in the car with her baby. A sense of dread was built up in all these scenes, but especially with the lake stabbing. Once they are on the ground tied, it feels like the climax of the situation has already passed - then BAM comes the knife in the back out of nowhere. Truly disturbing especially on the first viewing.

When I read that scene in the book, I was so creeped out at the description of the whole thing. And then, seeing it in the movie brought back that creep factor because it was done exactly as in the book. (the funny part is I don't see what the girl sees, him approaching and hiding behind trees, I just see him coming boldy foward....weird, eh?)

Another scene that was in the book, but not the movie was a scene where (i can't recall now, Graysmith or Toschi), was going to meet or following this suspect in his car and they were on sort of an over pass parked opposite and faceing each other on different sides of the road with their cars idling...CREEPY.

Another scene in the book describes a phone shrilly ringing (and you know it's a bell sound) and I happened to have a phone like that in the room I was reading the book in. When the phone rang in the book it rang on my night table too. Scared the shyt out me. And the cat jumped so high (I was using him as a book rest) because the phone rang and I jumped....  So, after the phone call, I stopped reading the book at night. Problem was reading it during the day I was constantly looking over my shoulder lest The Zodiac Killer could see me reading the book during my commute......hahahahha.

Swing away, Merrill....Merrill, swing away...

That's one of the most quietly terrifying scenes I've ever seen in any movie. Incredibly realistic.

There were many great scenes. I also thought the part were he had a woman in his car and said he was going to throw the baby out or something, and then fades to black, along with the music was incredibly disturbing.

Agreed; I thought the same on first seeing it and in fact it's not an exaggeration to say I tend to think whether I'm in the right mood or not to watch the film on DVD solely due to that scene (I did last night which is why I'm here today).

www.chrismrogers.net, a website for architecture and visual culture